1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention generally relate to an air filter assembly and method for fabricating the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Air filter assemblies typically include a housing retaining a filter element, also as known as a media pack. The media pack is often pleated to increase the surface area available for air passage, thus increasing the filtration efficiency while reducing the pressure drop across the filter assembly. The media pack is typically sealed along its edges to the housing to prevent air from bypassing the media pack as it flows through the filter assembly. The type of seal utilized between the media pack and housing may vary, often depending on the filtration efficiency of the filter assembly and the amount of permissible bypass.
Pleated media packs are often difficult to seal along their pleated edges. As such, many filter designs utilize potting or adhesive compounds that flow around the pleated edges to seal the media pack to the housing. This manner of sealing the media pack to the housing generally provides a reliable seal, but requires a substantial amount of costly raw material and is time consuming to perform.
High loft material may also be used to seal the pleated edge of the media pack. Although high loft material is easy to use and relatively inexpensive, it may allow a significant amount of air to bypass the media pack, disadvantageously reducing filtration efficiency. Moreover, as the edge of the media pack must compress the high loft material, the lack of compression strength of the media pack often results in folding or cracking of the filter media when interfaced against the high loft material, thereby increasing the rate of undesirable air leakage around and/or through the media pack. Thus, it would be desirable for air filter assemblies to have a filter media seal that is economical, easy to install or apply, and allows minimal air bypass.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved filter media seal.